Sabbath: The Rest of ItSample

Day One: Why Sabbath Matters

“Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy.” (Exodus 2:8)

If you’ve spent time in church or grew up in a Christian home, you’ve most likely heard this verse from the Ten Commandments repeatedly. The takeaway? Sundays are for God.

And so on Sunday, many of us go to church and volunteer to lead or give our time. We try to take off work if we can. And if we’re lucky, we might even be able to sneak in an afternoon nap.

But what if we’re actually missing out on a big part of the Sabbath? What if God’s command to remember the Sabbath was actually meant to affect every area of our lives, not just one day?

You see, Sabbath is so much more than another Sunday. Sabbath is a lifestyle—a model created for us by God to mark how we should live.

The word "Sabbath" comes from the Hebrew word "Shabbat," which means "to cease" or "to rest."

We first see the concept of Sabbath mentioned in the creation story in Genesis 2 (Genesis 2:2-3). The one resting? God himself, our Creator, the one whose image we were created in (Exodus 20:11)!

In the creation story, we see God bless three specific days: the days He created animals, humans, and the Sabbath, so we know this day holds an incredible amount of importance. Both animals and humans were blessed so they could multiply. Could it be that by pausing to practice Sabbath, we too could see things multiply in our lives? Things like energy, creativity, peace, and joy.

Sabbath exists as an opportunity for us to trust God and what He has given.

It's important for us to practice Sabbath as a way to rest, reconnect, and point our hearts back to our Creator.

But we have to make space for true Sabbath in our lives.

The Sabbath isn't an excuse for us to be lazy, kick up our feet, and do nothing. It's also not about following a list of rules one day a week. Instead, it’s a much-needed reminder for us that we honor God with both our work and our rest.

Sabbath is a blessing from God, who knows and understands our deepest needs.

Today, thank God for the gift of the Sabbath. Ask Him to open your heart to what He would like to show you about His rest in the coming days.

Tip for practicing Sabbath:

Pick a day: Sunday is the most common day, but this isn’t meant to be legalistic. Maybe you serve at church on Sundays or have family obligations. Pick the day that works for you to intentionally rest from the hustle and bustle of life.

Don't be afraid to start small as you detox from your weekly grind. You can even practice a few hours of Sabbath at first as you learn to rest and trust in God.